No, Xuan Cheng shook his head. “That’s Former Qin’s Yangping Duke. According to the history records, Former Qin’s Yanping Duke was exceptionally beautiful. The man in the lake matches up with that description.”
He stared at the reflection in the lake in a daze, watching the water slowly ripple out and then become still again.
Afterwards, another person appeared behind the beautiful reflection. This person’s features were gentle and soft, his bearing wise, but there was a lofty and imposing air to him. He was like the remaining dusk that hung over the sky after twilight had long left. Although he outwardly looked like he would melt, there was instead a raging fire burning inside of him.
Fu Jian stood stolidly behind that person for a while. Inside, his heart was eager. He wished more than anything that this younger brother of his would rush into the depths of that cold and uncaring imperial palace, throw himself into the arms of that lonely figure, and then weep bitter tears, telling her that this long hate had returned back to love.
But for some reason, when he saw that person standing quietly in front of the lake, he, too, stood silently and did not move.
He watched the scene in front of him. Inwardly, he wanted to treasure this image in his mind forever. Afterwards, there would be very little chance for such peaceful moments to happen again.
He reached out a hand, wanting to grab that person’s wrist.
But just as they were about to touch, Xuan Cheng suddenly turned around. “Let’s go. I’ll visit her.”
Fu Jian sighed, but followed him.
Empress Dowager Gou was extremely vicious. She had murdered so many capable and virtuous people.
She had not shown any mercy to any of the Fu family. Fu Fa was wise and sagacious, and extremely favored by the people, so how could he have betrayed the Qin Empire? He had always served as Fu Jian’s reliable right-hand man, going out and conducting diplomatic missions to raise the standing of Qin with other countries. He helped expand the Qin Empire, and implemented the teachings of Wang Meng across their new territory. He encouraged education and civilization, and was walking a bright path to the future. He helped rule a country to enrich the people, he encouraged farming, he wanted the common people to be prosperous and rich.
And then, for her own selfish reasons, Empress Dowager Gou had killed him.
Fu Jian had cried so much that his eyes filled with blood as well. Tightly, he had gripped Fu Fa’s arm, crying out, “Elder brother, elder brother.”
What else could he say?
Could he say that his mother wanted him to personally send his elder brother off?
Or could he say that it was his own order?
Either way, the only outcome was death.
The Eastern hall of the palace had echoed with the sound of wind. From the outside, dead leaves began to blow in. They were all brittle yellow.
Fu Jian had hugged the body. “Elder Brother, I’ve wronged you.”
The floor had been covered with blood. Little rivers of it trickled all over, forming puddles.
By the time Empress Dowager Gou entered, Fu Fa was already dead.
She had said, “Fu Fa was guilty and deserved death. You needn’t be sorrowful. The Heavens had decided on his punishment, one that my Gou family has carried out.”
In a way, the brothers had mutually destroyed each other. The days of peace had ended. The ministers had just pledged their allegiances when the family, once united, stained the world with red in their quest for the imperial throne.
By the time Xuan Cheng pushed open the door, Empress Dowager Gou was waiting for him. She was seated in the front of a long table. A palace maid waited by her side. When she noticed that someone had entered, she muttered something into the Empress Dowager’s ear.
The Empress Dowager stood up.
“Is it you?” Her hair was beginning to turn white. On her once beautiful face, deep wrinkles had set. Her voice, too, was now aged.
Xuan Cheng was suddenly reminded of someone. A long time ago, he had watched a movie of the Han Dynasty’s Empress Dowager Dou. Xuan Cheng remembered that then, Empress Dowager Dou’s eyes were turning blind. When she walked, she relied on a nearby maid to support her. However, when she heard the sound of her son, Liang Wang, approaching her, she would become extremely moved and vigorous.
Xuan Cheng’s stomach turned sour. Still, some sort of magic seemed to bewitch him. He was unable to stop himself from approaching her.
Empress Dowager Gou opened up her arms in an embrace. Her outspread robes resembled a pair of wings. In that moment, however, Xuan Cheng realized that even though this woman was not his real mother, her embrace was so warm.
“Son,” she called, her voice shaking. Even though they were seperated by so many layers of fabric, Xuan Cheng could feel her entire body trembling.
Fu Jian slowly walked over, stooping over to support her. “Empress Dowager, Younger Brother has come to see you.”
Empress Dowager’s eyes filled with tears. They slowly trailed down her weathered skin.
Xuan Cheng said, “Empress Dowager.”
She looked at him with eyes of astonishment. Afterwards, a smile formed on her face. “Forget it, you can call me whatever you’d like. This widow will not request too much.”
Xuan Cheng’s heart was soft. He didn’t plan on acknowledging the Empress Dowager Gou at first. However, after seeing her old, unsteady body energetically walk down the stairs to meet him, he couldn’t help but be moved. At the very least, he would let her embrace him. At the very least, he would acknowledge her.
He raised his head, carefully looking over this Empress Dowager Gou.
She really was old, extremely old. She was unable to hide the strands of silver that now covered her head. Her face was set with heavy wrinkles. Her skin was loose and dull. Although her eyes were shadowed by crow’s feet, when he looked at her, they seemed to be filled with light.
Perhaps, it was merely the light reflecting her tears.
Fu Jian helped support her, and then instructed the palace maid to leave. Afterwards, for the next while, it was just the three of them in the palace.
They sat together on the ground, a soft blanket laid below all of them. Xuan Cheng thought to himself that the politics in the Former Qin period really was still dependent on sitting on the ground.
No, Xuan Cheng shook his head. “That’s Former Qin’s Yangping Duke. According to the history records, Former Qin’s Yanping Duke was exceptionally beautiful. The man in the lake matches up with that description.”
He stared at the reflection in the lake in a daze, watching the water slowly ripple out and then become still again.
Afterwards, another person appeared behind the beautiful reflection. This person’s features were gentle and soft, his bearing wise, but there was a lofty and imposing air to him. He was like the remaining dusk that hung over the sky after twilight had long left. Although he outwardly looked like he would melt, there was instead a raging fire burning inside of him.
Fu Jian stood stolidly behind that person for a while. Inside, his heart was eager. He wished more than anything that this younger brother of his would rush into the depths of that cold and uncaring imperial palace, throw himself into the arms of that lonely figure, and then weep bitter tears, telling her that this long hate had returned back to love.
But for some reason, when he saw that person standing quietly in front of the lake, he, too, stood silently and did not move.
He watched the scene in front of him. Inwardly, he wanted to treasure this image in his mind forever. Afterwards, there would be very little chance for such peaceful moments to happen again.
He reached out a hand, wanting to grab that person’s wrist.
But just as they were about to touch, Xuan Cheng suddenly turned around. “Let’s go. I’ll visit her.”
Fu Jian sighed, but followed him.
Empress Dowager Gou was extremely vicious. She had murdered so many capable and virtuous people.
She had not shown any mercy to any of the Fu family. Fu Fa was wise and sagacious, and extremely favored by the people, so how could he have betrayed the Qin Empire? He had always served as Fu Jian’s reliable right-hand man, going out and conducting diplomatic missions to raise the standing of Qin with other countries. He helped expand the Qin Empire, and implemented the teachings of Wang Meng across their new territory. He encouraged education and civilization, and was walking a bright path to the future. He helped rule a country to enrich the people, he encouraged farming, he wanted the common people to be prosperous and rich.
And then, for her own selfish reasons, Empress Dowager Gou had killed him.
Fu Jian had cried so much that his eyes filled with blood as well. Tightly, he had gripped Fu Fa’s arm, crying out, “Elder brother, elder brother.”
What else could he say?
Could he say that his mother wanted him to personally send his elder brother off?
Or could he say that it was his own order?
Either way, the only outcome was death.
The Eastern hall of the palace had echoed with the sound of wind. From the outside, dead leaves began to blow in. They were all brittle yellow.
Fu Jian had hugged the body. “Elder Brother, I’ve wronged you.”
The floor had been covered with blood. Little rivers of it trickled all over, forming puddles.
By the time Empress Dowager Gou entered, Fu Fa was already dead.
She had said, “Fu Fa was guilty and deserved death. You needn’t be sorrowful. The Heavens had decided on his punishment, one that my Gou family has carried out.”
In a way, the brothers had mutually destroyed each other. The days of peace had ended. The ministers had just pledged their allegiances when the family, once united, stained the world with red in their quest for the imperial throne.
By the time Xuan Cheng pushed open the door, Empress Dowager Gou was waiting for him. She was seated in the front of a long table. A palace maid waited by her side. When she noticed that someone had entered, she muttered something into the Empress Dowager’s ear.
The Empress Dowager stood up.
“Is it you?” Her hair was beginning to turn white. On her once beautiful face, deep wrinkles had set. Her voice, too, was now aged.
Xuan Cheng was suddenly reminded of someone. A long time ago, he had watched a movie of the Han Dynasty’s Empress Dowager Dou. Xuan Cheng remembered that then, Empress Dowager Dou’s eyes were turning blind. When she walked, she relied on a nearby maid to support her. However, when she heard the sound of her son, Liang Wang, approaching her, she would become extremely moved and vigorous.
Xuan Cheng’s stomach turned sour. Still, some sort of magic seemed to bewitch him. He was unable to stop himself from approaching her.
Empress Dowager Gou opened up her arms in an embrace. Her outspread robes resembled a pair of wings. In that moment, however, Xuan Cheng realized that even though this woman was not his real mother, her embrace was so warm.
“Son,” she called, her voice shaking. Even though they were seperated by so many layers of fabric, Xuan Cheng could feel her entire body trembling.
Fu Jian slowly walked over, stooping over to support her. “Empress Dowager, Younger Brother has come to see you.”
Empress Dowager’s eyes filled with tears. They slowly trailed down her weathered skin.
Xuan Cheng said, “Empress Dowager.”
She looked at him with eyes of astonishment. Afterwards, a smile formed on her face. “Forget it, you can call me whatever you’d like. This widow will not request too much.”
Xuan Cheng’s heart was soft. He didn’t plan on acknowledging the Empress Dowager Gou at first. However, after seeing her old, unsteady body energetically walk down the stairs to meet him, he couldn’t help but be moved. At the very least, he would let her embrace him. At the very least, he would acknowledge her.
He raised his head, carefully looking over this Empress Dowager Gou.
She really was old, extremely old. She was unable to hide the strands of silver that now covered her head. Her face was set with heavy wrinkles. Her skin was loose and dull. Although her eyes were shadowed by crow’s feet, when he looked at her, they seemed to be filled with light.
Perhaps, it was merely the light reflecting her tears.
Fu Jian helped support her, and then instructed the palace maid to leave. Afterwards, for the next while, it was just the three of them in the palace.
They sat together on the ground, a soft blanket laid below all of them. Xuan Cheng thought to himself that the politics in the Former Qin period really was still dependent on sitting on the ground.
